One Volunteer Reveals Why He Gives More Than His Time

My name is Barrett, and I’m a volunteer for Heal the Bay. But I don’t just support Heal the Bay with my time. This year, I became a dues-paying member as well.

Becoming a member was the easiest decision I’ve made all year. Living by the beach in Marina del Rey and my experiences as a scuba diver and amateur surfer over the past few years have given me a crazy kind of appreciation for the ocean and the marine life that depends on it. It makes me incredibly sad to know how many marine mammals and birds die or get badly hurt because of something that just doesn’t need to happen – litter!

I joined Heal the Bay as a member of the Speakers Bureau with the trust that I would inspire thousands of adults and kids to change their behavior and to get involved in keeping the ocean free of debris.

I know that my time is the most valuable gift I can give to Heal the Bay. By volunteering, I’m making a real difference. Not just by inspiring kids, but by actually saving the life of an animal that might have gotten tangled in a plastic bag that was unknowingly dropped on the street.

So if I’m already working so hard for our oceans, why did I decide to give? I’m a member because I know first-hand the impact Heal the Bay has on the quality of my life. How the work that they do helps save the lives of the pelicans and sea lions that I see on my favorite beaches. And I know that the staff uses each dollar wisely to protect something that is really important to me.

Heal the Bay has hard costs each year, for things like cleanup supplies and buses for underprivileged schools, even food for the animals at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. I want to help in as many ways as I can.

For only $35 a year, you can also become a Heal the Bay member and support the behind-the-scenes fight for our neighborhoods and ocean. More than 80 cents of every dollar you give will go directly towards keeping our ocean clean. I make my dollars go even further by asking my company to make a matching gift.